NASCAR in the desert

NASCAR ventures west to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend for the Subway Fresh 500. Phoenix has one of the more unique track designs in NASCAR with different turns on each side of the track, making it harder for drivers to conquer this desert track. It took Jeff Gordon more then 10 years to finally claim a win at Phoenix, he finally took the checkered flag here last year. So, who's gonna take it this year? My best bets are....


Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet (Hendrick Motorsports)
Last Week: 2nd place finish in the Samsung 500
Career at Phoenix: 6.6 Avg. Finish, 1 Win, 4 Top 5's, 7 Top 10's
Why he could win: Johnson picked up the win at Phoenix in the fall last year which all but locked up his Championship win in 2007. Plus look at that average finish! A 6.6 average finish anywhere is great, but at Phoenix that is amazing!


Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet (Richard Childress Racing)
Last Week: 11th place finish in the Samsung 500
Career at Phoenix: 13.2 Avg. Finish, 2 Wins, 3 Top 5's, 5 Top 10's
Why he could win: Harvick likes tracks where he can manhandle the car and drive deep into corners. Phoenix is that kind of track for Harvick, and his resume at the track shows he knows how to get around it.

Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M's Toyota (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Last Week: 3rd place finish in the Samsung 500
Career at Phoenix: 16.3 Avg. Finish, 1 Win, 1 Top 5, 4 Top 10's
Why he could win: Kyle has learned something this year I think, he has become more consistant and is patient much more often. I think this will translate well at Phoenix, where patience is oftentimes a needed trait.

And who is the underdog this week? Someone who is trying to earn a fulltime ride, that's who!


Johnny Sauter, No. 70 HAAS Automation Chevrolet (Haas/CNC Racing)
Last Week: Did not race in Samsung 500
Career at Phoenix: 22.2 Avg. Finish, 0 Top 5's, 2 Top 10's
Why he could win: Sauter has a lot to race for this weekend. With Mayfield removed from the No. 70 Chevrolet, Sauter is racing for a fulltime job. Phoenix is just the place for Sauter, of his three career Top 10 finishes he has two of them at Phoenix. I suspect he might be a big surprise come race day.

Mayfield out of No. 70?

Jayski.com is reporting (via Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway) that Jeremy Mayfield has parted ways with the No. 70 Haas/CNC Racing Chevrolet effective immediately. The same report indicates that Johnny Sauter, the driver of the car in 2007, will take over driving duties of the car starting next weekend at Phoenix.

It's been a rough couple of years for Mayfield. After making the Chase for the Cup in 2004 and 2005 and winning a race each year for Evernham Motorsports, his performance hit rock bottom which resulted in him losing his ride in the No. 19 Dodge in August 2006.

He signed with Bill Davis Racing in 2007 to drive the No. 36 360 OTC Toyota but only managed to make a total of 13 races in 32 attempts with the team. He was eventually let go by BDR and he replaced Jeff Green in the No. 66 Best Buy Chevrolet at Haas/CNC Racing late in 2007. He then was placed in the No. 70 for 2008.

In a total of 7 races in 2008 with Haas/CNC Racing, Mayfield has no top 5's or top 10's, with a best finish of 16th at Las Vegas. He has averaged a 31st place finish so far in 2008.

Texas thoughts and observations

Carl Edwards earned his third victory of 2008 on Sunday, winning the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in dominating fashion, leading the most laps and cruising to victory following a green-white-checker finish. The win catapulted Edwards up four spots in the standings to 10th, once again making him chase eligible.

Thoughts and observations



Edwards' victory Sunday makes him the second driver to earn two victories at Texas Motor Speedway. The first? Jeff Burton, who won the inagural event held here way back in 1997 and last year's spring event.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Edwards become the king of the intermediate tracks (or as I like to call them, the cookie-cutters). Seven of Edwards' 10 wins have come on the "cookie-cutters" (two at Texas, two at Atlanta, one at Michigan, one at California and one at Las Vegas). The other victories came at Pocono, Dover and Bristol.

Jeff Burton continues to channel his inner Matt Kenseth, pulling in a solid sixth place finish Sunday. He still leads the Sprint Cup points standings by 59 points over Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick, who has also been remarkably consistant this year.

I still believe their to be nothing wrong with Hendrick Motorsports. They are still producing strong cars and posting strong finishes. They just haven't won yet this year. Trust me, it won't last the entire season. It's just not possible.

Though speaking of Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon once again failed to figure out Texas Motor Speedway. I am honestly shocked by this, because if any one track was going to give him trouble I certainly would never have picked Texas (simply because it is so much like Charlotte and Atlanta, both tracks he has done very well at).

What happaned on the last lap between Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin? Bowyer got a heck of a restart on that green-white-checker, jumping as far up as fourth. However, coming out of turn four on the last lap Hamlin went high and clipped Bowyer, forcing him into the wall and religating him to a 10th place finish. I'm sure Bowyer wasn't too happy about that.

Speaking of Hamlin, I guess he wasn't feeling all that great at the end of the race. Apparently while talking to reporters he nearly fainted and was promptly taken to the infield care center for medical treatment.

Lots of teams got strong runs that they really needed, including David Ragan, Jamie McMurray (two in a row for Jamie), David Gilliland, Brian Vickers, Paul Menard and Travis Kvapil. All of those drivers finished between 13th and 18th, something each of them really needed.

On the other hand, several drivers had bad days (excluding Jeff Gordon). David Reutimann (who had one of the fastest cars all weekend) ended up 41st, Greg Biffle finished 39th, Jeremy Mayfield crossed the line 37th and Martin Truex Jr. finished 36th. Rough days all around for those guys.

Checking in on the top 35 battle, a few things changed after this week's Texas race. Jeremy Mayfield dropped out of the top 35, allowing rookie Sam Hornish Jr. to sneak back in for another week. Dave Blaney, David Reutimann, Dario Franchitti, Kyle Petty, Patrick Carpentier and Joe Nemechek are all on the outside looking in. The No. 84 Red Bull Racing Toyota and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford are also still struggling.

It's a small world...

On Tuesday I used some of my free time to volunteer at WNCW 88.7 FM in Spindale and while doing so I heard a great story about one of my current favorite musicians that I just had to share.

While sitting in the hot seat (the first phone on the volunteer line) I was talking to Roland Dierauf, one of the DJ's at WNCW, about what i'd been listening to recently. I just happaned to be wearing my Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit shirt and he asked me if Jason's record from 2007 was my favorite from that year. I said no, that my favorite was Scott Miller & The Commonwealth's "Reconstruction," which I just kept returning to at least every other week no matter what new music I had just picked up. At this point Roland smiled and said he had a great story for me.

The story begins like many other great stories ... "While I was in college..."

No really, it did start just like that. Anyway, while Roland was in college he lived in a house with a bunch of other college students, mainly a way to save money. In this home lived a friend of Roland's who, at the time, was pursuing a girl that he went to college with. The problem was that this girl wasn't interested in him at all, she was dating "Some guy from William & Mary" as Roland put it. This "guy," as it turns out, was named Scott and he use to come down and play guitar in the living room of the house Roland lived in and the two would talk about music and books and other such things.

Well, after college, Roland moved on and never gave this fella named Scott another thought. A few years pass and Roland ends up as a DJ at WNCW in Spindale. One day he gets an assignment to interview a band, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth, who are playing live that day in WNCW's live studio, called Studio B. So its almost time for the interview to begin and Roland enters the studio to introduce himself. Scott Miller looks up and goes "I know you." Roland responds "Umm...no you don't." Scott Miller then proceds to remind Roland about the girl he was dating in college that went to Roland's college. Anyone thinking of the song "It's A Small World?"

Anyway, to finish off the story, the two got to talking and Roland asked Scott if he ended up following that girl and Scott said yes, "I followed her to graduate school and she dumped me..."

Hey fella, whatever your name is, if your out there that girl you wanted to date is single now. Maybe Scott can give you her number.

Texas Two-Step

After two straight short track races NASCAR returns to the big speedway's, hitting Texas Motor Speedway for the first time in 2008. The Sprint Cup Series will do battle this week in the Samsung 500, the first of two dates at Texas Motor Speedway this year. Here are my drivers to watch this weekend:


Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont (Hendrick Motorsports)
Last Week: 2nd place finish in the Goody's Cool Orange 500
Career at Texas: 15.2 Avg. Finish, 5 Top 5's, 7 Top 10's
Why he could win: Texas is one of two tracks on the current Sprint Cup schedule that Jeff Gordon has never won on. That alone gives Jeff an extra reason to drive a little harder this weekend. Plus he has a little momentum after his 2nd place finish last week at Martinsville.


Jeff Burton, No. 31 AT&T Chevrolet (Richard Childress Racing)
Last Week: 3rd place finish at the Goody's Cool Orange 500
Career at Texas: 16.9 Avg. Finish, 2 Wins, 3 Top 5's, 6 Top 10's
Why he could win: Name the only driver with two wins at Texas. If you said Jeff Burton then you were correct! Plus, he is the points leader going into Texas this week. Great chance for him to extend his point lead.



Matt Kenseth, No. 17 DEWALT Ford (Roush-Fenway Racing)
Last Week: 30th place finish at the Goody's Cool Orange 500
Career at Texas: 10.3 Avg. Finish, 1 Win, 5 Top 5's, 6 Top 10's
Why he could win: In the last four races at Texas Matt Kenseth has finished 2nd three times. The man has got to be getting a little tired of being the bridesmade instead of the bride. Plus after last week he definatly needs something good to happen for him.



This week's underdog is a former winner at Texas, and his name is...


Elliott Sadler, No. 19 Best Buy/Garmin Dodge (Evernham Motorsports)
Last Week: 15th place finish at the Goody's Cool Orange 500
Career at Texas: 21.7 Avg. Finish, 1 Win, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10's
Why he could win: After a gutsy performance last week at Martinsville (where Elliott was suffering from some serious back pain) I wouldn't be surprised to see Sadler and his Evernham Motorsports team come alive and surprise a lot of people. A top 10 or top 5 isn't out of the question and if the right things happen a win could too.

Martinsville thoughts and observations

Native Virginian Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at Martinsville over the weekend, winning the Goody's Cool Orange 500, his fourth career victory and first at the famed Martinsville Speedway. He bested the dominant Hendrick Motorsports trio of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a little pit strategy and a little bit of luck.

Thoughts and observations:

Never, ever underestimate the power of pit strategy. Denny Hamlin didn't have the fastest car in the field but with a little bit of brains, rather then brawn, Hamlin outwitted the field and took home the coveted grandfather clock that Martinsville gives away every year.

Did anyone notice Michael McDowell getting in EVERYONE'S way at the end of the race? If Denny Hamlin wanted to thank anyone he should thank him, he probably held up Jeff Gordon longer then anyone else on the track. Carl Edwards certainly let McDowell know how he felt once the cars in front of him got past McDowell, giving the rookie a shot in the left rear as if to say "MOVE IT ROOKIE!"

While half of Roush-Fenway Racing was strong this weekend, the other half struggled mightly. Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards and David Ragan all had strong cars from the drop of the green flag but Matt Kenseth & Greg Biffle could hardly keep up with the guys running around 20th.

What was Matt Kenseth thinking when he spun out David Gilliland? Did he mean to do it? Maybe. Fact is that caust him two laps and he ended up finishing well off the pace, which cost him his slot in the top 12 in points.

Good strong run for Regan Smith and the No. 01 DEI Chevrolet. While he didn't finish in the top 10, his 14th place finish was more then acceptable under the circumstances.

Save of the race goes to Jimmie Johnson who somehow got stopped when everyone, including teammate Jeff Gordon, wrecked in front of him on the frontstreach Sunday. How he saw anything to make his way through that wreck, which blocked most of the track, amazes me to no end.

A big that-a-boy to Elliott Sadler who was in serious pain all weekend after tweeking something in his back earlier in the week. Somehow, despite all the pain he was in, he fought back and finished 15th and on the lead lap. Guess he didn't need Dennis Setzer, who was standing by incase a relief driver was needed.

With Kyle Busch's struggles this week that allowed Jeff Burton to sneak his way into the points lead over RCR teammate Kevin Harvick. Burton's been one of the most consistant drivers in the Sprint Cup series in the last few years so its no surprise to see him at the top of the standings.

In the weekly Top 35 race a few drivers moved into the Top 35 while a few dropped out. Thanks to strong runs at Martinsville, Jamie McMurray and Regan Smith moved into the Top 35, bumping out the No. 44, now driven by David Reutimann, and the No. 77 driven by rookie Sam Hornish Jr. Reutimann and Hornish will now be forced to qualify on time for next week's race at Texas.

Rock Report: Drive-By Truckers @ The Orange Peel

So yesterday I took a day off of work and, along with my twin brother who came in from Wilmington, made the trip up to Asheville to enjoy a night of loud music. The Drive-By Truckers were finishing up the second leg of their "Home Front" tour and I was very much looking forward to the show. I ordered tickets to the event in January and i'm glad I did, the place ended up selling out. Needless to say I really enjoyed myself! My brother and I left before the encore, my back was killing me (I shouldn't have worn my cowboy boots) and my twin was tired (he had been out the previous day mountain biking, he rode over 30 miles in one day). It's fine though, we had a rip roaring good time anyway! Here are a few pictures from the show:

Patterson Hood, guitar & vocals, getting really involved in one of the songs.

John Neff, left, guitar and pedal steel, and Patterson Hood tear it up for the Asheville crowd.

Shonna Tucker, bass and vocals, sings one of her two songs during the show.

Mike Cooley, guitar and vocals, plays a solo for the rowdy crowd.

Needless to say Patterson Hood was having one heck of a time in Asheville, as you can see by his huge grin.

Patterson screamed at the top of his lungs a few times during the show.

This was one of the best shots I got from the entire show, don't you think?